Doing Good Better

What really moves the needle on social issues? This is the question Social Venture Partners wrestles with on a daily basis. Social Venture Partners Dallas is an organization of venture philanthropists who believe in “doing good better.” Our partners, more than 130 men and women in Dallas who are connected to an international group of venture philanthropists numbering in the thousands, work locally by pooling financial resources and engage in skills-based pro-bono consulting to grow the capacity of social enterprises. These enterprises are dedicated to offering solutions to some of the most vexing problems facing our community. Our partners are ordinary men and woman doing extraordinary things. What is most interesting about this group of venture philanthropists is that they are doing the painstaking backstage work that organizations need the most in order to survive and thrive.

Our partners are ordinary men and woman doing extraordinary things.

It is true that this work is not as glamorous as putting on a fancy benefit, nor as immediately rewarding as front line volunteering at a local shelter or pantry. This is the behind-the-scenes work that grows the internal capacity of an organization. Our partners, either as individuals or as part of their companies, dedicate their business, strategic, finance, marketing, technology, and a whole cadre of other talents to grow the existing strengths of local nonprofits. Our partners vet and invest in social enterprises that we believe have the greatest capacity to scale and to replicate. We take the position that investing in organizations with both dollars and skills-based volunteerism one can dramatically scale-up an organization for greater impact in our community. When partners are deciding on which projects to choose, they are looking at them through a particular lens. The partners are always searching for potential, and when it is found, the investing begins. Of course, the SVP Dallas partners seek out organizations with strong missions that fill a gap in the social network of our community, but they look deeper. The partners are looking for that rare combination that allows them to bet not only on the horse but on the jockey as well. We want those organizations that have the start of a solid foundation as well as an inspiring leader at the helm.

We take the position that investing in organizations with both dollars and skills-based volunteerism one can dramatically scale-up an organization for greater impact in our community.

After 16 years of doing this work in Dallas, our team is experienced at picking that combination and investing in it. We are committed to investing in operations as we believe that allows the organization to hire the best people, implement best practices, and offer the best services to those most in need in our communities. Our society looks to social service providers to solve problems; we believe we should give those enterprises the resources that they need to actually accomplish that mandate.

Our mission at Social Venture Partners is two-fold; to invest in and grow the capacity of social enterprises and to invest in and grow our local philanthropist “to do good better.” It is a privilege to do this work in our community and it is a joy to be able to do it in partnership with like-minded people. Anyone looking to leverage their charitable dollars, talents, and experience will find a home at Social Venture Partners Dallas. All we see is potential!

Tony Fleo is a proven leader in the area of organizational development with 25 years experience in helping communities, organizations, and individuals in leadership development, effective communicati(...)

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